Switch.



0. S. EPPLEY.

SWITCH.

APPHCATION FILED FEB-23,1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

Patented Dec.21,1915.

III In C; S. EPPLEY.

I SWITCH. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 23, I915.

Patented Dec. 21, 1915.

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cnanr'ns s. EPPLEY, or YORK, PENNSYLVANIA.

SWITCH.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES S. EPPLEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at York, in the county of York and State of ennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Switch; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the artto which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to an improved switch operating'mechanism. As one of the objects of the invention, it is the aim to provide a simple, efficient and practical switch mechanism including improved features of construction.

One of the features of construction is the provision of an intermittently revoluble shaft having a lever eccentrically connected theretoat one end, which lever in turn is provided with yieldable connections with an arm of a switch point, there being a mechanism to be operated by a member on a car for imparting intermittent motion to said shaft.

In practical fields the details of construction may necessitate alterations, falling within the scope of what is claimed. 7

The invention comprises further features and combination of parts, as hereinafter set forth, shown in the drawings.

In the drawings :Figure 1 is a plan View of the switch mechanism constructed in accordance with the invention showing the switch point in closed position to allow the car to travel straight ahead. Fig.2 is a similar View to Fig. 1 showing the switch point in another position so that the car will take the switch rails. Fig. 3 is a view in side elevation of the switch operating mechanism showing a member on the car in the act of actuating a slide including a rack which throws the switch point-to the position shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a view in side elevation showing the slide and rack operated by a member on the car to throw the switch point to the position shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a sectional view on line 55 of Fig. 3 transversely through the ratchet mechanism ofthe intermittently revoluble shaft. Fig. 6 is a sectional view on line 6'-6 of'Fig. 2 longitudinally through the mechanism. Figs. 7 and 8 are detail views of the mechanism on the car for throwing the switch operating mechanism.

Specificationof Letters Patent.

Application filed February 23, 1915.

Patented Dec. 21, 1915.

Serial No. 9,913. i

Fig. 9 isa sectional view on line 9-9 of Fig. 6. Fig. 10 is a sectional view on line 10 1O of Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawings, 1 and 2 designate the main rails, 3 and 4 the switch rails, and 5 the switch points hinged at ('3 to one of the switch rails, for instance the rail 4. Fixed adjacent the rail lis an angular plate 7, the flange 8 of which constitutes a guide. Spaced apart from the plate 7 is a similar angular plate 9, braced relative to the plate 7 by the U-shaped braces 10 and 11, between the arches 12 of which-and the flanges l3 and 8 of said plates 7 and 9 is an elongated slide plate 14. The U-shaped-braces are connected at 15 and 16 to the stationary part or members 17 which support the ties and the rails. An arm 18 projects laterally from the stationary part 17, and'is connected at 19 to one of the arms of the U- shaped brace 11. Mounted in hearings in the arms of the U-shaped brace 11 is a shaft 21 having at one end an eccentrically disposed pin 22 and provided with a gear 23, and two ratchets 24 and 25, the teeth of which extend in the same direction. The gear 23 is loosely mounted upon the shaft, while the ratchets'are movable with the shaft. The gear 23 is provided with a spring pressed pawl 26 to engage the teeth of the ratchet 25, so that when the rack 27 engages and operates the gear, the shaft will be mirtially rotated, owing to the interengagement of said pawl 26 with the ratchet 25, that is, upon the forward movement of the rack, and when the shaft is being rotated in this manner the pawl 28 (which is spring pressed) slides over the ratchet 24, which isfixed to the'shaft. However, upon the retrograde movement of the rack the pawl 26 will slide over the ratchet 25, while the pawl 28 will engage the ratchet 24 and prevent retrograde revolutions or movements of said shaft 21. The rack 27 is pivoted to a downwardly extending arm of the slide as shown at 30, the arm being designated by the numeral 31, there being a spring 32 for holding the rack in engagement with the gear. Pivoted at 33 to the slide is an angular lever 34, the arm 35 of which is provided with an upwardly extending lug 36 projecting through an opening in the slide, there being a spring 37 engaging the arm 38 of said'angular lever, so as to normally. hold the lug protruding through saidopening 89. A coil spring 40 is connected at one end to an arm 41 of the U-shaped brace 10, while the other end of the spring is connected to the rack 27, thereby holding the rack backwardly as shownin Fig. 1. Pivoted upon the pin 22'is a pitman rod 43 having a reduced extension 44 passing tln'ough an opening of the arm 45 of the V hinged switch point, there being coil springs 46 and 47, one upon each side of the arm The spring 46 acts against the shoulder 48 of the pitman rod, While the spring 47 acts against a nut50 on the reduced extension.

Mounted in suitable bearings 51 on the bottom of a car are two rocking crank shafts 52 and 53. The crank 54 of the crank rod 52 is pivoted which is normally held up by the spring 57 interposed between the collar 58 and the arm of the bracket 59. The arm 60 of the crank rod 52 has pivoted to it a pitman 61, which in turn is pivoted at 62 to the arm 68 of the cross beam or member 64, the other arm '65 of which has the pitman 66 connected to it. The cross bar or member 64 is carried by and secured to the lower end of the vertical shaft 67, which is mounted in suitable bearings of the car, and provided at its upper end with a detachable handle 68, whereby the shaft 67 may be rocked. The crank arm 69 is connected as at 70 to a push plunger 71 similar to the push plunger 56 and having similar attending cooperating parts. As the car moves along the rails 1 and 2 the motorman rocks the shaft 67 in the direction of the arrow a, which pulls upon the rod 61, thereby rocking the crank rod 52 in the direction I), pushing the push plunger 56 downwardly, in order to contact with the upwardly projecting lug or nose of said angular spring tensioned lever of the switch operating mechanism. After the push plunger 56 engages said protruding lug or nose and the car still moves forwardly, the slide and the rack are correspondingly moved, thereby partially revolving the shaft 21, and owing to-the pitman being pivoted upon the eccentrically disposed extension pin 22, the switch point is thrown to either a closed position to permit the car to move straight on, or thrown to its opposite position to allow the car to take the switch rails. Just as the rack reaches the limit of its movement, the downwardly extending arm of the angular lever 84 contacts with the pin or projection 74, thereby throwing the nose or upwardly protruding lug of said angularlever from the path of the push plunger 56, then the spring connected to the rear end of the rack will restore the rack and slideto their initial positions for the next car.

The invention having been set forth, what 5 is claimed as new and useful is':

at 55 to a'push plunger 56,

connections to the switch point, a gear loosely mounted upon said shaft, a ratchet mechanismto cause the gear to rotate with the shaft in one direction, a rack to enga e the gear, a slide, means carried bythe slide to be contacted with by a member on amoving car to move the slide forwardly causing the rack to operate the gear which in turn will operate the shaft to throw "the switch point in one position or the other, an'd a device to trip said means from the path of the member on the car, storing said rack and slide to their initial position.

2. In combination, a pair of main rails, switch rails, and a switch point, atsupport-v ing' foundation structure for the'rails, a shaft mounted in bearings of the structure and provided with an eccentrically mounted extension pin having connections with the switch point, and means including an'ele ment to be actuated by amember on a car for intermittentlyrevolving said shaft for throwing the switch point to one direction or the other, and a device for tripping said element from the vpath of the member on the car, and means for restoring the'first means to its initial position, said shaft operating means including a rack and gear "and a ratchet'mechanism to cause the gear to 'ro tate with the shaft, and a second ratchet mechanism to prevent retrograde movement of the shaft. 1 r 4 a 3. In combination, a pair of main rails, switch rails, and a switchpoint, a'supporting structure for said rails, a shaft mounted in bearings of said structure, one end of said shaft having connections with the switch point, means including anelement to be actuated by a member on a car for interand means for re-' mittentlyrevolving said shaft for throwing 'with the shaft, and a second mechanism to prevent retrograde movement of the shaft. 4. In combinatlon, a pair of main rails,

switch rails, andas'witch point, a supporting structure for said rails, a shaft mounted in bearings of said structure, one end of said shaft having connections with the switch point, means mcludingian element to be actuated by a member'on a car for intermittently revolving said shaft in one direc I tion for throwing the switch point in one In testimony whereof I have signed my direction or the other, a device for trlpping name to this specification in the presence of said element from the path of the member tWo subscribing Witnesses.

on the car, means for restoring the first CHARLES S. EPPLEY. means to its initial position, and a mecha- Witnesses:

nism to prevent retrograde movement of DEAN SWIFT,

the shaft. ROBERT A. BOSWELL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

